Colorado Preserving or Red Seeded Citron Watermelon

90 days. This variety of melon was used in the 19th century for making preserves, candied citron, pies and more. The firm white flesh is not good for fresh eating but has many holiday uses in the kitchen. These are rock hard and keep for months. Citron type melons are the ancestors to domestic watermelons and still grow wild in Africa. These are very easy to grow as they resist almost everything. Huge vines; 10-lb. fruit have bright red seeds.

This is the first melon that I have successfully grown in my garden. I only grew two plants, and they consumed my 25' x 25' garden. I did lots of reading on this melon. It is beautiful cut open, lime sherbet colored flesh with pretty red seeds. The melon flavor is neutral. Not sweet, not bitter, not really any taste at all. You add the flavor. It keeps it's promise of waiting for me to get around to preserving it. I picked these melons in August and today I cut them open to candy. The fruit inside is fresh and ready to preserve.